The International Gemological Institute’s New York City office has committed to being carbon-neutral by 2022.
SCS Global Services, which is currently spearheading an initiative to certify certain diamonds as sustainable, will evaluate the Institute’s greenhouse gas emissions from June 2020 to May 2021. IGI plans to reach carbon-neutral certification through mitigating impacts and purchasing carbon offsets.
“Our environment is an interdependent system where everyone has a role to play,” said IGI North America president Avi Levy in a statement.
Last month, IGI announced it was opening an office in the Arab Republic of Egypt, where it will offer educational programs for diamonds and gemstones, as well as sales training courses for jewelry professionals. The network of gemological labs was purchased by China’s Fosun Group in 2018.
IGI is just one of a number of industry entities that are either currently certified carbon-neutral or have committed to becoming so, including Diamond Foundry, which has already been certified, and Pandora, which has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2025. In addition, Star Rays and eight other Indian sightholders have committed to carbon neutrality. De Beers has said it hopes to soon make some of its mines carbon-neutral, and has committed to becoming carbon-neutral by 2030.
Top: IGI’s North American headquarters in New York City (photo courtesy of International Gemological Institute)